Open Adit™ - Sulfates

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Sulfates are compounds of oxygen and sulphur combined with one or more metals. The oxygen and sulphur come together to create the sulfate ion, SO₄^-2, in which the central Sulphur atom is surrounded by four oxygen atoms located at the corners of a tetrahedron. The two negative charges are distributed evenly over the oxygen atoms.

The sulfates are complex minerals. This happens because of the large number of ways in which metal ions can be placed amongst the sulfate groups in the crystal structure. Many of the minerals are strongly hydrated species, meaning that they are bound with water molecules in the crystal. Most are rare, although gypsum and anhydrite are quite common minerals.

All minerals in the group are translucent to transparent. Many are light in colour. A few are very soluble in water, making them relatively rare minerals. None are hard, but most are fairly high in specific gravity becuse of the relatively dense metal packing in the crystal structure.

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